The charisma of Prague could be felt from the moment I arrived for my girly getaway. I was ecstatic after much contemplation on our destination to have chosen Prague and Vienna for a week of exploring alongside my University best friend, whom I live thousands of miles away from and don’t have the luxury of seeing as often as I’d like.
Our time in Prague was extremely memorable and so I’m excited to share our top ten highlights of the architecturally delightful, red-roofed, cobbled-stoned, beer filled city of bridges:
Wander around Old Town Square
After arriving at our hotel, it didn’t take us long before we migrated towards Prague’s historic epicentre, Old Town Square. Filled with an abundance of activity, it’s the perfect place to grab a coffee (or beer as we did), people watch and soak up the architectural wonders which include the astronomical clock, the old town hall, the St. Nicholas Church and the Church of Mother of God before Tyn, among others.
2. Walk the Bridges
Portraits of Prague most frequently feature its iconic bridges (17 in total) that connect life on both sides of the Vlata River. Strolling the bridges provides a fantastic vantage point to view life on/along the water (including paddle boats and river cruises and the many cafes and bars) against the backdrop of the ever beautiful buildings I can’t stop obsessing over. Charles Bridge, the most famous and oldest of all is rich in history, gothic statues and is bustling with people, artisans, and musicians. Find a spot in the middle of a bridge and take a moment to soak in the beauty that is Prague.
3. John Lennon Wall
From Charles Bridge, you can wander over to the Lennon Wall located nearby in a quiet square. After John Lennon was assassinated in 1980, his portrait and lyrics appeared in the form of graffiti art on the wall. It was a symbol of pacifism for the youth opposed to the communism regime. Since 1980, there have been multiple attempts to whitewash the wall, and while the original art is several layers beneath its current form, the graffiti inspired by John Lennon and the Beatles prevails, continues to evolve, and is a treasured symbol of peace, love, unity and freedom (and also a great photo op for the gram!!).
4. Try Trdelnik
You can’t go too far in Prague without strolling past a Trdelnik vendor. Rolled dough wrapped around a stick, baked on fire, and topped off with sugar, almonds, and vanilla. The hollow pastry cone has now been popularized as an ice cream cone that tourists flock towards. It is hotly debated as to the origin of the Trdelnik, and most sources suggest Hungarian/Slovak origins, rather than being traditionally bohemian as commonly advertised. Regardless of the origin, I succumbed to the trap and on our last day, found a vendor near old-town square who served me a stale trdelnik with sub-par ice cream! Why am I mentioning the Trdelnik if it wasn’t delightful, you ask? My post Prague research suggests my choice of vendor was poor, and you should visit the Good Food Coffee and Bakery to give it a better try!
5. Visit the Castle Complex
We took a leisurely stroll up the cobbled streets from Charles’ bridge up to the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the largest castle complex in the world consisting of cathedrals, palaces, offices, and over 1000 years of rich history. There really is so much to see at the castle so recommend a few hours at minimum to cover the highlights:
The Golden Lane is the cutest, character filled, cobblestoned street lined with mini, colorful cottages once occupied by castle guards and tradespeople, and now housing museums and shops with crafts.
The St Vitus Cathedral with its tall towers is a vantage point across the entire city. Historically, the cathedral served as the place where coronations of the Czech Queens and Kings took place. Today, the place of worship is filled with thousands of visitors daily who are gawking at the gothic architecture and intricately designed stained glass windows.
The St George’s Basilica, whilst significantly smaller than its neighboring St Vitus, stands out with its bold red and white exterior.
The views from the castle overlook the city, and provide the perfect place to perch yourself on a wall, or at the nearby winery and soak up the surroundings.
6. Find yourself a gingerbread man
I had no idea before visiting Prague that their gingerbread baking tradition dates back to the 14th century or earlier. On our walk up to the castle, it was impossible not to be led astray by the hypnotizing smells coming from the numerous shops filled with gingerbread hearts, animals, flowers, bells, eggs lavishly decorated with colorful icing. A visit to a store to see and taste the impressive gingerbread creations is worth adding to your list.
7. Drink the Beer
When I think of Prague, the first thing that comes to mind is Beer. Cheap Beer, Good Beer, Light Beer, Dark beer, Big Beers! We enjoyed many many stops to quench our thirst after clocking serious miles each day. In fact, our time in Prague was essentially a few cultural experiences en route to our next beer stop. Some of our highlights were the Lokal Beer house which was packed to the brims with locals. Go figure! The vibes were good and the beers were large and ice cold washing down the sausages and fried cheese just perfectly. Restaurace Mincovna was also a great find in Old Town Square to quench our thirst and escape the crowds. Our favorite stop of all was the Letna Beer garden. After climbing several hundred (I might be exaggerating) stairs up to the park, we had earned the cold beer, a picnic table to rest our feet, and panoramic views of the city! Judging from the number of people, it must be everyone’s favourite spot as well!
8. Drink the Coffee
The little time we had where we weren’t drinking beer, we could be found frequenting some of the best coffee/breakfast joints to indulge on high quality caffeine and heavenly pastries. Our two favorite spots were like chalk and cheese. Café Savoy was quite regal, with hand painted ceilings adorned with gold, elaborate chandeliers, and impeccable service while Café Eska rocked the industrial vibe of a converted factory that was relaxed, low-key, but with wholesome food and coffee. I recommend reservations for both, particularly for Café Savoy. We missed our reservation (blaming it on the jet lag), and ended having our breakfast on a patio bench outside Café Savoy, rather than in the grandeur of the restaurant.
9. Visit a Rooftop
There are so many intricate details, colors, and smells to be experienced at ground level in Prague, but the best way to view the sea of red-roofs, and tower above the wealth of history and the Vlata River is on one of Prague’s many rooftop bars or restaurants. Our bar of choice was the Intercontinental Hotel, which provided the perfect base to sip our gin cocktails and catch up on all things life.
10. Manifesto Market
Traditional meals from Prague are quite heavy on the meats such as sausages of all sorts, Goulash, and roasted pork and dumplings! While delicious, my best friend is a vegetarian so we ventured beyond the traditional cuisine and found the Manifesto Market which was the foodie highlight of our time in Prague. Located in the center of Prague, the cultural and gastro popup market has around 30 converted containers housing food, music, art, and design. The market has loads of cuisine options, so you can hop from vendor to vendor until you’re content. It has such a fun vibe and so shouldn’t be missed, but note that it is a card-only market!
Altogether, Prague was amazing to us, and 2 and a half days was not enough time to full explore all of its offerings. It is a stunning city with a certain magic to it, and so hope my travels bring me back one-day.
